Tongs.



No. 654,93l. Patented July 3|. 1900- H. AIKEN.

TONGS.

(Application filed Jun. 2. 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

Patented .luly 3|, I900. H. AIKEN.

T U N G S (Application filed Jan. 2, 1900.)

2 ShnetsShn et 2,

(No Model.)

Nrrnn ,SATES PATENT ()FFICE.

HENRY AIKEN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

TONGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,931, dated July 31, 1900.

Application filed January 2, 1900. serial No. 38. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY AIKEN, of Pittsbnrg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tongs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- T Figure 1 shows infront elevation tongs constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Figs. 3 and 4c illustrate a modification of one of the parts of my invention.

In Figs. 1 2.11612, 2 2 are the pivoted arms of the tongs, which are fulcrumed on pins 3 to cheek-pieces or frames 4, which are preferably made double, so as to fit on both sides of said arms, respectively. The cheek-pieces are pivoted on pins 5 to the frame or head 6 of the tongs and vare adjustable laterally toward or away from each otherby an adjusting connecting device consisting of a right and left hand screw 7, passing through nuts 8 8, which are swiveled to the lower portions of the cheek-pieces, so that by turning said screw the cheek-pieces may be drawn together or caused to diverge, and thus cause the approach or divergence of the fulcrums of the tongs. The tongs-arms are connected by suitable means with suspending chains or rods 9, which depend from the usual trolley of an overhead crane. I prefer for such purpose levers 10' 10, having segmental gearteeth 11, by which they are geared with teeth 12, formed at the end of the tongs-arms, and having also gear-teeth 13, by which they are geared together, so as to move in unison. If the tongs be lowered so that the jaws 1a of the arms inclose an ingot and the crane from which the tongs are suspended then raised, the draft of the chains upon the levers 10, acting through the intermediate gearing, will cause the arms to move together and to bite upon the ingot, and as the ingot is lifted thereby the arms will be pressed inward with a pressure depending. for degree upon the weight of the ingot and tongs. It is often desirable to adjust the tongs in order to adapt them to ingots of difierent sizes than can be accommodated by the mere motion of the tongs arms. Efficient and easily-operated mech 'arms are free to act.

anism for this purpose is provided in the suspending-chains or likemeans for actuating the tongs-arms toward the burden. I also illustrate in Figs. 1 and 2 another important feature of my invention, adapted automatically to effect the setting of the tongs either burden, or in working position, in which the" which I have invented for this purpose accomplishes a work which heretofore has been laborious and troublesome and has required the Workman toapproach near the red-hot ingots carried by the tongs and to set the tongs-arms in open position'or release them by means of hand-operated tools.

"\Iy improved device consists of a link 15,

having an elongated or slotted opening 16, in

which fits the lowest link 17 of a third suspending-chain 18, which extends from the (trolley, and the link 15 is pivoted at 19 to the head 6 of the tongs, so that when it is lying in dropped position (shown by dottedlines' in Fig. 1) the lower end of its slot 16 shall be substantially above the pivot 19 and so thatwhen tension of the chain 18 ceases the link will drop over edgewise, as shown. When the tongs-arms are in working condition, the link 15 is upright, in which case the suspension device constituted by said link and the chain 18 is suificiently long to allow the entire weight fof the tongs to be borne by the chains 9 and levers 10, thus causing the arms 2 to be closed when the tongs are raised. If now the crane be lowered, so that the ingot which is carried by the tongs is deposited upon the ground, the ends of the cheek-pieces 4 will restupon, the ingot, the chains 9 will slacken, the arms 2 will open, and as the crane is lowered further the chain 18 will slacken, 'so that the link 17 thereof will travel to the end of the slot 16 and the link 15 will drop into the position The simple device.

in open position, in which their arms are spread, so as not to engage an ingot or other shown in dotted lines. Itnow the crane be be lifted by the tightening of the chain'18', but

will hold the link 17 at the end of the slot. The arms 2 will therefore not close as the tongs are lifted, but will remain in open position. To cause the tongs to engage another ingot, they are lowered upon the same until and slacken slightly the chain;18, and the causing the end link 17 to move in the slot16 a short-distancefrom the end thereof. .Then

link 15 into upright position, permitting the link 17 torun to the end of the slot. will cause the weight. of the tongs to be carriedby thechains 9, and the tongs-arms will.

therefore close upon and grip the ingot.

I The-skilledmechanic will be able, within the scope of my broader claims, to modify the application. of the principle above explained and to construct. the link 15 and its slot in,

r 1 other forms, even fixing the link to or making it integral with the head, properly shaping the. slot, so that it will accomplish the same purpose; but I have illustrated what I deem to be the preferable construction and intend toclaim the same specifically. By use of the I word f. chains Iinclude rods or their equivalents. g

In'Figs. 3 and 4t I show the automatic device last described applied to tongs made without adjustable cheek-pieces, the arms 2 2" being pivoted directly at 3 to the tongs-head 6, the lower end of which is so shaped that it can bear upon the ingot. In this case the extent of motion of the arms may be varied by This.

tially as described.

head, cheek-pieces carried thereby, arms f ulcrumed on the cheekfpieces, and a screw connected'wi'th the'cheek-pieces and adapted to 'adjust them, and means for moving the arms on'their'fulcrums toward the burden; substantially as described. 7

. In tongs, the combination of a frame or head, cheek-pieces carried thereby, arms fulcrumed on the cheek-pieces, anda screwconnected with the cheek-pieces by swiveled the ends of the cheek-pieces rest thereupon...

nuts, and adapted to adjust the cheek-pieces;

substantially as described. trolley is moved so as to swing the slackened chain a little to the right, asshown in Fig. 1,

4. The combination with a suspending device, of a slottedydrop-link appliedthereto adapted when dropped to vary the working length vof the suspending deviceysubstanif the crane. be raised the link 17, being no longer directly above the pin 19, will raise the tially as described.

5.' The combination, with two sets of sus- 6. In tongs, the combination of a head or frame, gripping-arms and their chains, a second chain adapted to bear the-weight. of the tongs and topermit the first chains to slacken,

and a slotted connection, between the second chain and thetongs head or frame, adapted when the chain is slackened to engage the same at a lower portion of the s1o't;substan- 7. In tongs the combination of a head or frame, gripping-arms and their chains, a second chain adapted to bear the weight of the tongs and to permit the first chains to slacken, and aslotted connection between thesecond chain and the tongs head or frame, adapted 'when the chain is" slack'ened to engage the same at alower portion of the slot,and adapted to permit lateral movement of the chain to free the latter, said head or framebein g adapted to bear upon the burden when the chains head, cheek-pieces pivotally mounted thereon on fixed centers, arms fulcrumed on the check- 55 providing the chains9 with adjustablelinks 9, adapted to beengaged at different points The diiferential drop-link 15 is not limited in its application to tongs.

f I claim t v -1. In tongs, the combination of a frame or pieces, means for adjustably moving the cheek-pieces on said centers, andmeans' for moving the arms on their .fulcrums'toward the burden; substantially as described.

2, In tongs, the combination of a frame or are slackened; substantially asdescrlbed.

8. In tongs the combination of a head or frame, gripping-armsand their chains, a second chain adapted to bear the weight of the tongs and to permit the first chains to slacken and a slotted drop-link connecting the second chain to the tongs-head and adapted, when dropped, to bring the end of the slot into holding engagement with the chain and to permit lateral movement thereof when the chain is slackened; substantially as described. A

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set myhand.., H v

I V HENRY I AIKEN. Witnesses: H. M. CoRWIN, THOMAS W. BAKEWELL.

IIO 

